CHAPTER 21
1Water-streams, a king’s heart in the hand of the LORD,
wherever He desires, He diverts it.
2A man’s whole way is right in his eyes,
but the LORD takes the measure of hearts.
3Doing righteousness and justice
is choicer to the LORD than a sacrifice.
4Haughty eyes and overweening heart—
the furrow of the wicked is offense.
5The plans of the diligent—only for gain,
and all who hasten—only for loss.
6Attaining treasures with a lying tongue
is vanished breath and snares of death.
7The plunder of the wicked drags them down,
for they refuse to do justice.
8Perverse is the way of a stranger-man,
but a pure one, his deeds are straight.
9Better to dwell in the corner of a roof,
than with a quarrelsome wife in a spacious house.
10The wicked longs for evil with all his being,
his fellow man gets no pity from him.
11When the scoffer is punished, the dupe gets wisdom,
but when a wise man is taught, he gains knowledge.
12The righteous fathoms the hearts of the wicked,
subverts the wicked for evil.
13Who stops up his ear to the cry of the poor,
he, too, will call unanswered.
14A gift in secret allays anger,
and a stealthy bribe, fierce wrath.
15A joy to the righteous, the doing of justice,
but disaster to wrongdoers.
16A man who strays from insight’s way
will repose in the assembly of shades.
17The lover of revels is a man in want,
who loves wine and oil will not grow rich.
18A ransom for the righteous, the wicked man,
and in place of the upright, the traitor.
19Better to dwell in a desert-land
than with a quarrelsome angry wife.
20Rare treasure and oil in the wise man’s abode,
but a foolish man swallows them up.
21Who pursues righteousness and kindness
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22The wise man goes up against a town of warriors
and takes down its mighty stronghold.
23Who guards his mouth and his tongue
guards his life from trouble.
24The arrogant brazen—scoffer his name,
he acts in arrogant anger.
25The sluggard’s desire will kill him,
for his hands refuse to act.
26All day long he aches with desire,
but the righteous gives unstinting.
27The sacrifice of the wicked is loathsome,
even more, as he brings it depraved.
28A lying witness will perish,
but a man who listens to counsel will speak.
29A wicked man is brazen-faced,
but the upright understands his own way.
30There is no wisdom and no discernment
and no counsel before the LORD.
31A horse is readied for the day of battle,